Protocol 19/04

March 25, 2004
Feast of the Annunciation
Day of Greek Independence

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Day and Afternoon Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, we commemorate an event of extraordinary significance. The hallmark of this important feast of the Church is represented by a most remarkable encounter between the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary.  Their dialogue with one another, beautifully narrated in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (verses 26-38), presents us with an astonishing depiction of faith, a faith whose power rests in its courageous human honesty and its extraordinary trust in God.

In this passage, we are presented with a powerful human model in the person of the Virgin Mary, who is our exemplar of authentic openness and perfect trust.  Truly, the Archangel Gabriel’s appearance and his announcement unto her was a stunning phenomenon that evoked considerable fear in her heart.  Yet she overcame her initial fear by being receptive to the immeasurable love and power of God.  Indeed, the Archangel’s initial announcement roused considerable doubts in her mind.  Yet she laid her doubts to rest by listening to the voice of the angel saying that she would bear a son through the power of the Holy Spirit.  She fully believed that “with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37).  It was her openness to God’s love and her unshaken faith in Him that gave her the freedom to respond to the Archangel Gabriel’s statement with the courageous declaration, “let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

From the example of the Theotokos, we learn the importance of cultivating a heart that is open to God’s ineffable love, and a mind that is ready to consider the miracles that are possible with Him when we lay aside our disbelief and wholeheartedly embrace faith.  In the face of natural, human responses of fear and doubt, we are presented with a testimony of true love, indomitable courage, and never-ending hope in the person of the Theotokos, whom we hail as “full of grace” (Luke 1:28) and whom we venerate as truly “blessed among women” (Luke 1:42).

The significance of these qualities is heightened when we consider that the Feast of the Annunciation also commemorates the Independence of the Greek nation in 1821, when Hellenes and phil-Hellenes came together to overcome the forces of subjugation and hostility that had oppressed them for four centuries.  Throughout their struggle, a struggle that was riddled with continuing events generating fear and doubt, the Greek people held as their invincible champion the Theotokos, a fervent intercessor and protector in times of peril.  It was she, the one who had overcome all fear and doubt by completely trusting in God, to whom they turned for solace, hope, and confidence in the miraculous power of God.  With her as their model, the Greeks were able to summon the courage to proceed with a fight that seemed to have no prospect for victory.  Yet they were victorious because “with God nothing would be impossible” (Luke 1:37), and because “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23).  Today, the Day of Greek Independence and the Feast of the Annunciation offers to all peoples of every nation a day of celebration that extols the victory of faith and love over all forces of fear, and the triumph of the power of God over every shadow of doubt.
 
As we draw inspiration from the Virgin Mary on this joyous day, and as we reflect more deeply upon her uncompromising willingness to serve as a vessel of the Lord’s will, I pray that, through her intercessions, we overcome our every human fear and doubt, and that we grow always in our appreciation of the infinite love of God and in His power to work great wonders in our lives.

With paternal love in Christ,

†DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew went immediately to Holy Trinity Church in Westfield, NJ where hundreds of young people participating in the annual Sights and Sounds program of the Metropolis warmly greeted His All Holiness. “We grant upon you our paternal love and patriarchal blessing,” he said, “and we pray that, day after day, you will approach the infinite beauty of the good creation of God, so that you will convey to all the message of joy, the Gospel of Christ, the hopeful message of the restoration of the relationship between man and God, and the end of feeling orphaned; you will share with all the news of your new adoption by our affectionate heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. By doing this you will experience a joy that is compete and inalienable”.

On Sunday morning, March 14, hundreds packed the Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, NJ for the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch.  Later that evening over 1,000 people attended a banquet in honor of His All Holiness, including the Governor of New Jersey James McGreevey.

On Monday morning His All Holiness met with the hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas  (SCOBA) and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCH) at the Archdiocese Headquarters. In his remarks, the Patriarch said, “…We are glad for this opportunity of a face-to-face personal exchange with you, especially in the time of the Holy and Great Lent. This is a time of fasting, of prayer, of spiritual refuge, and of lifting our hearts to the Lord Who is Coming for His Holy Passion, a journey to which He ever invites us to sojourn with Him.”

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also held separate private meetings with Senator Hillary Clinton and with Edgar M. Bronfman, President, and Rabbi Israel Singer, Chairman, of the World Jewish Congress.  His All Holiness also offered his patriarchal greetings to the Members of the Preparatory Meeting for the Interreligious Conference and Dialogue.

The entire staff of the Archdiocese gathered for a Patriarchal Greeting and Blessing in the St. Paul Chapel. Later, some 200 Archdiocesan Leaders from throughout the Archdiocese attended a luncheon in honor of His All Holiness at The BoatHouse in Central Park.  

Following the luncheon, His All Holiness met with His Excellency Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations at the United Nations headquarters.

Later that evening he attended dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibition  Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557). “May the works in this exhibit,” said His All Holiness, “lead us to the right path of true faith from which true spiritual power derives. This spiritual power, in turn, is the creative power behind these displayed works of art. Most importantly, it is the creative power behind works of life that are less glamorous, but nevertheless are works that produce love for another, joy and hope in life. We wholeheartedly pray for the success of this exhibit, and we will consider as a great accomplishment, the true realization of the message conveyed through its title, in its true dimension:  Faith and Power."

On March 16 His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios hosted a breakfast for religious leaders in honor of His All Holiness.   Guests at the breakfast included Cardinal Egan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, Episcopal Presiding Bishop, Frank T. Griswold, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik.  In concluding his remarks, His All Holiness said, “If mutual understanding, open dialogue and common action on issues of general concern among the various religions were needed in the past, today they are even much more needed. We live in a world of rapid social, political and economic changes. We live in a world of violence and terrorism and wars declared or undeclared…. And we live in a world in which more and more the role of religion as vital, indispensable and dynamic factor is being universally recognized.”   

Also on March 16, clergy of the Direct Archdiocesan District received the Patriarchal Greeting and Blessing in the Archdiocesan Chapel. His All Holiness then attended a luncheon in his honor hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Ahmet Ertegun and Mr. And Mrs. Murat Koprulu.